Latino Daily News

Portugal Investigating Brazil Coach for Tax-Fraud

The head coach of Brazil’s national soccer team, Luiz Felipe Scolari, is under investigation in Portugal for “alleged fiscal infractions,” the Iberian nation’s Attorney General’s Office said Wednesday.

The ongoing investigation will look into potential tax fraud from 2003 to 2008, a spokesman for the AG’s office said. That period coincides with the five years that the Brazilian manager served as coach of Portugal’s national squad.

Portuguese authorities, for their part, said they have requested the assistance of other countries, including the Netherlands, Britain, Brazil and the United States, in the case.

During Scolari’s tenure, the Portuguese national side finished runner up in Euro 2004 and fourth in the 2006 World Cup in Germany and reached the quarterfinals of Euro 2008.

After Brazilian media reported Tuesday on the investigation, Scolari issued a statement denying the allegations and saying that, to his knowledge, he always filed his tax returns correctly.

Portuguese tax authorities suspect “Felipão,” or “Big Phil,” failed to declare more than 7 million euros stemming from the sale of his image rights, according to the Brazilian media reports.